Jack Nicholson Playing Michael Corleone Would’ve Changed The Gangster Genre
If Jack Nicholson had accepted the role of Michael Corleone, there’s no doubt that the gangster genre audiences know today would be entirely different. First and foremost, Al Pacino likely would not have become the face of the gangster genre without The Godfather. Francis Ford Coppola, the director of The Godfather, took notice of Pacino after his performance in the 1971 film, The Panic in Needle Park. Though executives were seeking a well-known actor to embody Michael Corleone, Coppola chose Pacino, and as a result, the iconic actor was catapulted into major fame, starring in films such as Carlito’s Way, Serpico, and Scarface
Another possibility is that The Godfather may not have succeeded as it did without Al Pacino. Nicholson’s performance likely would have been good, and his rising popularity might have garnered some interest from audiences, but he might have lacked the power that Pacino brought. Although Pacino was an unknown at the time, this most likely helped him when portraying The Godfather’s Michael Corleone. If anything, Pacino was able to truly become the character, which would explain why his performance is still so pervasive. Additionally, as Nicholson said, his lack of Italian heritage could have been a major shot against the film and his performance, making Pacino a much better choice.
How The Godfather Would Have Changed Jack Nicholson’s Career
Just as Al Pacino’s career would have been changed, Nicholson’s would have as well. If Nicholson had succeeded in playing Michael Corleone, it’s possible that he would have become the face of the gangster genre rather than Pacino. Though Nicholson is an amazing actor, it is definitely strange to replace him with Al Pacino in gangster cinema. More than that, Nicholson’s best roles might have also been lost including The Shining, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and 1989’s Batman. Therefore, in the end, Jack Nicholson is an icon in his own right, but it is for the best that he never played Michael Corleone in The Godfather.